成分プロフィール

和名
米ぬか (Komenuka)
学名・INCI名
Oryza sativa (rice) bran oil
サステナビリティ認証

Vegan · Cruelty-free

この記事の要点

  • Komenuka is rice bran, the nutrient-dense layer between the rice husk and the white grain; the pressed oil is naturally rich in vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols) and in fatty acids close to the skin's own lipids.
  • Rice bran oil has been studied for skin hydration: in one study, a 10% rice bran oil formulation increased skin moisture by around 38% in a short-term measurement (Bernardi 2011).
  • Rice bran also carries antioxidants such as ferulic acid and gamma-oryzanol, which have been studied for antioxidant activity. This is antioxidant research, not sun protection.
  • A rice bran bioactive fraction has been studied in topical formulations for skin hydration and for the appearance of elasticity and roughness over 28 days.
  • Rice bran has a long place in Japanese skincare and bathing traditions, from the cloth nuka bags kept by the bath to nukazuke bran pickling.

Komenuka (Rice Bran): What It Does for Your Skin

Giselle GoDAMDAM 共同創業者 / クリエイティブディレクター

公開日

Komenuka is the Japanese word for rice bran, the nutrient-rich layer of the rice grain that is removed during milling. Pressed into an oil, it becomes a lightweight, nourishing ingredient that helps soften skin, support moisture and leave it feeling smooth and luminous.

Rice has long held a place in Japanese beauty rituals. At DAMDAM, we continue that relationship through modern formulas that use different parts of the grain for different skin benefits.

What is rice bran oil?

Rice bran oil is pressed from the outer bran layer of rice.

It has a naturally silky texture and is rich in fatty acids and antioxidants, including vitamin E and gamma-oryzanol. In skincare, it is valued for helping condition the skin and support softness without feeling overly heavy.

What does rice bran oil do for skin?

Rice bran oil helps soften, nourish and support the skin’s moisture barrier. Naturally rich in fatty acids, vitamin E and gamma-oryzanol, it also provides antioxidant support.

Supports moisture

Helps keep skin feeling smooth, supple and comfortable.

Softens and conditions

Its lightweight lipids help soften skin without feeling overly heavy.

Provides antioxidant support

Vitamin E and gamma-oryzanol help defend against everyday oxidative stress.

Why is rice bran part of Japanese beauty culture?

Rice has been part of daily life in Japan for centuries, and its role has extended beyond food.

As early as the Heian period, rice-rinsing water was used in beauty rituals. By the Edo period, rice bran was placed inside small cloth bags called nukabukuro and used to gently cleanse and polish the face and body.

That history reflects something still central to DAMDAM today: finding value in every part of an ingredient and understanding how it can be used with intention.

Rice bran oil vs fermented rice: what is the difference?

They both come from rice, but they are not the same ingredient.

Rice bran oil is pressed from the bran and is used mainly for softness, conditioning and moisture support.

Fermented rice is transformed through microorganisms and time, creating a different ingredient with a different role in skincare.

DAMDAM uses both because each brings something different to the formula.

Why DAMDAM uses rice bran oil

Rice is one of DAMDAM's hero ingredients that best represents the way DAMDAM formulates. 

Instead of treating it as one single ingredient, we look at the different parts and transformations of the grain and use each where it makes the most sense.

Rice bran oil brings a silky texture, nourishing lipids and antioxidant support, making it a natural fit for formulas designed to cleanse and condition while respecting the skin barrier.

Find rice bran oil in DAMDAM

Silk Rice Cleansing Oil

A gentle Japanese cleansing oil built around antioxidant-rich rice bran oil.

Applied to dry skin, the oil dissolves makeup, SPF, sebum and other oil-soluble buildup. When water is added, it transforms into a soft milky emulsion that rinses clean, leaving skin feeling nourished rather than stripped.

Best for: Removing makeup and SPF · First step of a double cleanse · Dry or sensitive skin

Rice Drops Balancing Oil Serum

A lightweight facial oil serum centered on Japanese rice bran oil to help support soft, supple and luminous-looking skin.

Best for: Nourishment · Softness · A lightweight facial-oil finish

 

よくあるご質問

What does rice bran oil do for your face?

It conditions and softens skin and helps support its moisture barrier. Rice bran oil is naturally rich in vitamin E and fatty acids close to the skin's own, and has been studied for skin hydration. DAMDAM uses it in the Silk Rice Cleansing Oil.

Is rice bran oil good for oily or acne-prone skin?

Rice bran oil is a light, non-heavy oil, which is why it works in a cleansing oil that lifts oil-soluble impurities, like the Silk Rice Cleansing Oil. How it suits very oily or breakout-prone skin varies by person, so patch testing a new product is sensible.

Is rice bran oil the same as rice water or fermented rice?

No. Rice bran oil is the pressed oil from the bran. Rice water and fermented rice are water-based ingredients made a different way, with a different composition and purpose.

Which DAMDAM products contain rice bran oil?

The Silk Rice Cleansing Oil and the Rice Drops Balancing Oil Serum.